Animal Groomer Career Guide

Overview

Career choices after high school might only be availed well if you manage to score well during high school but at times you only need to have a dedicated passion for serving humans or animals. Animal groomer career is one such field that requires you to have genuine love for animals and the ability to make them as attractive as you can with grooming skills. Meager details about animal grooming must be read thoroughly, therefore scan through this article to understand the field.

Animal groomer could be a lucrative career as pets can be seen in almost every house nowadays. Owners usually do not have the time and skills to clean and brush their pets and so they look for trained animal groomers. You could become a talented pet groomer and apply all your artistic grooming skills on cats, dogs and other animals. If you find it easy to deal with pets then this is the right career choice you should make. Animal grooming industry has been growing largely with pet owners taking advantage of the services provided by the pet grooming salons. According to an estimate there are thousands of pet salons owned by individuals while others include boarding kennels, pet shops and garden centers. If you read more about this industry you would know that mobile groomers are also offering their grooming services by traveling to pet owners’ homes.

Job Duties

Job duties are one of the most important aspects of any career. You must know the major tasks that are needed to perform as an animal groomer. You have to flawlessly maintain or enhance appearances of pets, like cats and dogs. You have to bath, shampoo, dry, clip, trim and brush a lot of cats and dogs according to their breed, since different breed requires different care. As a pet groomer, you also have to feed the animals and train pets to exercise. Your work may demand physical fitness, mental attentiveness and emotional attachment.

On the administrative side, you might be handling clients, answering phone calls and setting appointments. At times you have to discuss pet grooming requirements with the owners and also keep a record of animals’ disposition. You need to have good observation and perform work accordingly. Your creativity and artistic skills might also bring innovative ideas to groom cats and dogs. The demand of clients should be given first priority and a great deal of patience is required for talking to clients and making animals follow your instructions.

Job Outlook

As an animal groomer you might have the opportunity to work in animal shelters, animal clinics, grooming services, pet shops or you could even setup a pet clinic of your own. Expertise and experience in regard might be an advantage. By working in a pet shop as an animal groomer assistant, or in a zoo as an animal health technician or animal laboratory attendant, there are increased chances to find work at reputable place. You need to have good communication skills to explain your services to clients. Job opportunities vary from one state to another and so are the pay scale and work hours. According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics animal care workers might encounter 23% growth in employment by the year 2020.

Salary Trends

The annual median salary of an animal groomer in the United States is $21,000, as of 2012 (indeed.com). This possibly could be your attractive dream salary, so it is advised to work for earning good on the basis of skills and knowledge.

Educational Requirements

There is no long list of degrees or courses which you are required to hold to be an animal groomer. You only have to follow certain rules and regulations that are set by the state you are living in. Educational requirements are one of those rules that is important in the field of pet grooming in the United States. Animal/pet grooming certificates and diplomas are offered in almost every state so you only have to look up for the accredited schools in your area. Typically these diplomas consist duration of 14 weeks or 18 weeks, depending upon the courses that are being offered. Apart from diploma and certificates, you might also find pet grooming courses for beginners. You can also apply for apprenticeship in which you might be trained under supervision of professional animal groomers.

National Dog Groomers Association of America also has Master canine groomer certification for which you need to pass and exam and show your practical skills. This certification is not mandatory to attain a job but might give you an edge at work. Internship after studies is an essential part which has to be completed by you and then National Dog Groomers Association of America might provide you with the certification on passing the eligibility requirements.

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